Opposition leaders vow to form Oct. 7 probe as first act of new gov't, demand truth from Netanyahu

The opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Golan have vowed to form a state-led commission of inquiry into the failures that occurred during the October 7 massacre, according to a joint statement they released on Tuesday. The inquiry will be established as the first policy of the new government led by the opposition camp. The opposition leaders argue that the investigation is necessary to uncover the truth behind the disaster and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The opposition leaders also criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly ignoring serious warnings about the October 7 attack. According to the statement, a recent report from Haaretz revealed that UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MBZ) warned Netanyahu about Hamas' plan to carry out a major operation against Israel days before the massacre.

The UAE president expressed concern that the attack could lead to significant bloodshed, destabilize the region, and undermine the Abraham Accords. However, Netanyahu reportedly dismissed the warning and assured the UAE president that Israel was prepared for any scenario.

The opposition leaders pointed out that Netanyahu failed to mention the UAE warning in subsequent security briefings leading up to October 7, and that neither former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar nor former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi were informed of the warning. They asked Netanyahu: "What did you know, when did you know it, and why didn't you update the security establishment and act to protect the citizens of Israel?"

The opposition leaders emphasized that Netanyahu's government is "unfit to continue in office" and pledged to work with the necessary coordination and responsibility to prevent another disaster.